TY - JOUR
T1 - Math self-concept and mathematics achievement
T2 - Examining gender variation and reciprocal relations among junior high school students in Taiwan
AU - Lee, Ching Yi
AU - Kung, Hsin Yi
N1 - Funding Information:
This article was supported by research projects funded by the Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology (NSC 98-2511-S-018-002-M and NSC 99-2511-S-018-014). Our gratitude goes to the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and suggestions. We also would like to express our appreciation to all the participants and people assisted in this study.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - The study explored Taiwanese students' mathematics learning at the junior high school level. Utilizing structural equation modeling, it examined the relationships between math self-concept and mathematics achievement with longitudinal data. Participants included 1,256 Taiwanese seventh graders in the first wave and declined slightly to 1,211 eighth graders in the second wave. Findings indicated the following. First, the longitudinal effects were all significant: (a) prior mathematics achievement significantly predicted subsequent math self-concept (skill development model), (b) prior math self-concept significantly predicted subsequent mathematics achievement (self-enhancement model), and (c) the reciprocal effects model was supported, and the effects of achievement tended to become stronger and more systematic. Second, results showed significant gender variation with respect to math self-concept and mathematics achievement. Boys had significantly higher math self-concept than girls, whereas girls exhibited higher mathematics achievement than boys. The implications of these findings for cultivating students' interest in mathematics learning were discussed.
AB - The study explored Taiwanese students' mathematics learning at the junior high school level. Utilizing structural equation modeling, it examined the relationships between math self-concept and mathematics achievement with longitudinal data. Participants included 1,256 Taiwanese seventh graders in the first wave and declined slightly to 1,211 eighth graders in the second wave. Findings indicated the following. First, the longitudinal effects were all significant: (a) prior mathematics achievement significantly predicted subsequent math self-concept (skill development model), (b) prior math self-concept significantly predicted subsequent mathematics achievement (self-enhancement model), and (c) the reciprocal effects model was supported, and the effects of achievement tended to become stronger and more systematic. Second, results showed significant gender variation with respect to math self-concept and mathematics achievement. Boys had significantly higher math self-concept than girls, whereas girls exhibited higher mathematics achievement than boys. The implications of these findings for cultivating students' interest in mathematics learning were discussed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041215794&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85041215794&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.29333/ejmste/82535
DO - 10.29333/ejmste/82535
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85041215794
VL - 14
SP - 1239
EP - 1252
JO - Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education
JF - Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education
SN - 1305-8215
IS - 4
ER -